More USF Poly resignations, including Goodman's son

Add to the list of recent resignations from the University of South Florida Polytechnic campus the son of embattled former chancellor Marshall Goodman.

Robert Goodman was paid a $50,000 a year as a community liaison for the campus's Blue Sky business incubator program. He is one of nine USF Poly employees who have resigned from the school in the past month, according to letters released to the Times on Friday. That includes the communications and development directors who left yesterday in the wake of an investigation that revealed financial mismanagement and a hostile environment at the school.

Also making his departure official is Travis Brown, the younger Goodman's boss at Blue Sky, who said in an investigation interview that he was lured to the job under false pretenses. Brown said he was told, for example, that USF Poly had 30 MBA students when it only had three. His last day will be June 29, he wrote, two days before USF Polytechnic is shut down and the new Florida Polytechnic is born.

Most of the letters are short and sweet -- with the exception of two. Samantha Lane, who was in charge of media relations for USF Poly, and Maggie Mariucci, who served as director of development and governmental relations, both described toxic, hostile working environments as their reasons for leaving.

Under a bill signed by Gov. Rick Scott last week, on July 1, USF Poly must turn over all its assets to the new Florida Polytechnic. Until that time, USF is required to keep all USF Poly's employees on its payroll -- unless they are fired for cause.

The investigation that recently wrapped up on the campus recommended just that for two top administrators. Alice Murray, the director of facilities, and Josh Bresler, who oversaw the campus budget, were both found to have knowingly violated university policies. For now, they are on administrative leave.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.